Combined feed-water heater and aspirator



E. F. McCARTHY. COMBINED FEED-WATER HEATER AND ASPIRATOR.

APPLICATION FlLED MN. 21.1918.

Patented June 21, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. F. McCARTHY. COMBINED FEED WATER HEATER AND ASPIRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1918.

Patented Juhem 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIIIIIIIII E. F. McCARTHY. COMBINED FEED WATER HEATER AND ASPIRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, I918- 1,382,104:-

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- Patentd June 21, 1921.

T all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES}- EDWARD F MCQARTH. 0 CHI A ream instep-were s e ificationortettersratent. P fht ation filed lan uary '21, leis. iseriaigno. 213414.

Be it known that l, EDWARD F. McCar- THY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Statev of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Feed- VVater Heaters and Aspirators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a combined water heater and aspirator 0r suction pump, oil separator, condensation receiver and water purifier, and one of the objects of the invention is to construct a selfcontained unitary apparatus 01f this character for the purpose of centralizing equipment and dispensing with considerable pip-' A further object is to provide an improved apparatus of this character byv means of which air and condensation may be drawn from steam systems in which a vacuum is employed, and is particularly adapted, though not necessarily 'limlted in its use in return line vacuum heating or drying systems in high pressure steam plants where condensation and air is :drawn from the system through the medium of traps, directly to the aspirating. device,

which latter is preferably located at the top of and inside of the apparatus, and in which apparatus the air and water are separated and the steam is condensed. To the attainment of these ends, and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in substantially the combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and shown n the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longltudlnal sectional view of an improved apparatus of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and as taken on the line 1-1, Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view as taken on line 2-2, Fin. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation as taken from the left hand side of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally a closed tank or casing of any desired size and configuration and constructed and arranged LLINOIS m AsPIEA'IIORQ OFFICE.

June21t1921. I

tor embodying a chamber 12 suspended from the top 11 by suitable brackets or straps 13. This chamber or receptacle 12 is preferably open at the top and a second chamber or receptacle l4 telescopes with the chamber 12 and is also preferably suspended by means of brackets or hangers 15 from the top of the tank. The chamber 1% is somewhat larger than the chamber 12 and is spaced therefrom, the top of the chamber 1% preferably terminating below the top of the chamber 12 so that when the chamber 12 overflows, the water or liquid will pass into the chamber 14. The chamber 191 is provided for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

lln order to clean the chambers 12 and 1t, clean-out pipes 16, 1? are respectively connected with'the bottoms of the chambers 12 and 14 and extend throughthe tank 10 and cozmmimicate with a drain pipe 18. Valves 19, 20 are provided in the pipes 16, 17 to control such outlet. A suction tube or pipe 21 extends into the tank 10 and connects with the aspirator device through the bottom of the chamber 12, and in which chamber the aspirating device is located. The other end of the pipe 21 is connected with the system in which the vacuum is to be maintained. The aspirator comprises preferably spaced disks 22, 23 which are separated from each other by means of upright partitions 2t and the parts are secured together in any suitable manner. Two of these partitions 24: are preferably provided and are arranged diametrically opposite each other and theaspiratcr is secured to a shaft 25 of a motor 26, the latter being preferably mounted upon the top of the tank 19 so that the shaft and aspirator will be rotated by the motor. Depending from the lower member 23 of the aspirator is a tubular element 27 journaled in a suitable bearing 28 and the pipe 21 has communication with the tubular member 27, thereby producingan aspirator of the ty e shown and described in i United States atent No. 1,071,789, issued Se tember 2, 1913, to Thomas 0. Perry.

isposed within the tank and below the receptacle 14 are a plurality of superposed series of drip pans or trays 29, which are supported in any suitable manner, such as by means of suitable supports 30. These pans 29 are spaced from each otherand the pans of the different series are staggered a SUPP water overflows from the chamber 14, it will comes in contact with ment of the fioat 33 the pans 29 toward the bottom of the tank In order to break the sheet of falling water into fine streams, the edges'of the pans 29 are corrugated or serrated as at 31. Any number of these pans may be employed accord' g to the size of flow successively into the apparatus. v

The lower portion of the tank 10 const1- tutes a water receptacle and is provided with an outlet 32 which leads to the pump or other point of use. Within this portlon of the tank is a float 33, which latter is adapted to control a valve 34 in an inlet pipe 35. The inlet pipe is provided for supplylng the chamber or receptacle 12 with water and the discharge end 36 of this pipe 1s submerged in the receptacle 12 so as to prevent hammering which always occurs when steam cold water. A controlling valve 37 may be provided in the pipe 35. Thus it will be seen that the water accumulating in the water receiving end or chamber of the tank will control the moveand this float in turn controlling the valve 34, will control the height of water in the tank 10.

A sediment'collector or mud ring 37 may be provided in the tank so as to collect foreign matter from the water as it passes into the water receiving chamber.

.A filter is also provided in the bottom of the tank and this filter two sections 38, 39, preferably of a box-like formation, having imperforate side and end walls, with perforated or grated top and bottom walls 40, 41. Filtering materlal is placed within the filter chamber thus formed and between the grated walls 40 and 41 and the filter is supported above the bottom of the tank in any suitable manner, such as by means of supports 42 and these supports 42 constitute a wall or flange projecting upwater will flange 44, which wardly from the bottom of the tank and surrounding the outlet opening 32 so that in order that the water from the water chamher. will pass through the outlet 32 it must pass through the filter by passing through the top-40 and out of the bottom 41 thereof.

'A sediment pan or receptacle 43 may be provided with a depending circumferential extends for a considerable distance below the bottom of the pan 43 and this flange 44 is provided with openings 45 therethrough so that when the pan 43 and flange 44 are placedover the filter 40, the flow through the openings 45 to the top'40 ofthefilter. This flange 44 is of any desired height, preferably so as to ort the bottom of the pan 43 above and out of contact with the top of the filter 40 so as not to obstruct the passage of the water through the filter. Obviously this flange 44 may be co ructed in'the form of legsand preferably comprisesthe filter and pan 43 but also to permit of the removal thereof.

A clean-out opening 48, having a pipe 49 connected; therewith and a controlling valve 50 in the pipe may be provided, whereby sediment may be cleaned fromthe bottom of the tank.

The tank is also provided with a similar opening 51 adjacent the pans or trays 29- and a closure 52 is provided for the opening 51, so that when it is desired, the pans or trays 31 may be readily removed.

The water, as it flows from the receptacle 12, accumulates in the bottom of the tank, as. will be manifest,- and in the event that the dischargefrom the heater or tank through the outlet opening 32 is not as rapid as the accumulating water from the return 21 and receptacle 12, the water in the heater or bottom portion of the tank will rise and eventually flow out of the heater through an outlet opening 53, and connected with this opening 53 is a U-shaped loop or trap 54, which has connection with a chamber 55, leading from which chamber is a discharge'p-ipe 56. This loop or trap 54 forms a water'seal and prevents steam from escaping from the heater.

The exhaust steam is admitted into the heater through an inlet pipe 57 which has communication with a chamber 58 and which flow out of the tank at the top thereof,

through a discharge outlet 60 connected with which outletis a pipe 61, that conveys the air and vapor to the atmosphere or any desired point. Arranged within the chamber 58 is a baflle 62, which is preferably supported by means of arms or brackets 63, to

extend across the outlet opening 59 and the b-afiie 62lis located intermediate the inlet 57 and outlet 59 of the chamber 58 so that the steam entering the inlet opening 57 will strike the baffle 62 and any oil which is carried by the steam will be deposited upon the baflle 62, while the steam will pass around the baflle out of the opening 59 into the tank. The oil thus deposited upon the bafiie will drip therefrom through an outlet opening 64 of the chamber. 58 into a pipe 65, which latt has communication with the chamber 1 from the chamber 55 the oil will be eventually carried away through the outlet pipe 56 with the su'rplus water flowing into the chamber 55 from the water receiving end of the tank 10. 7

It is thought that the operation of'this improved apparatus will be clearly undersubmerged space with intervals therebetween. The whirling motion thus created, prevents the liquid penetrating far into the circumferential space as the liquid after flowing inwarddue to the partial vacuum created in the circumferential space and the natural pressure of the liquid behind the partition, the liquid is immediately caught by the following partition and thrown outward. in practice there is aconstant inward and outward flow of liquid in the space between the periphery of the disks or in the outer spaces between the additional partitions. The action is enhanced by the breaking up of the liquid into spray as it flows through the peripheral space and the entraining action of the liquid is efiective to produce a vacuum, the intensity 'of the vacuum be'ng determined by the velocity of revoluti n or depth to which the circular disks are submerged.

The upright baflies 2t are arranged concentrically with and in close proximity to the periphery of. the aspirator and are provided for the purpose of breakmg up or preventing the liquid from swirling in the chamber 12, and any number of these uprights or baffles may be provided.

While the intensity of vacuum obtainable in the form herein shown, depends upon depth of submergence, rather than on speed i of revolution, yet the volume of air sucked and discharged through the water is augmented by increasing the velocity of revolution, as well as by increasing the vertical width of space between the upper and lower disks 22, 23. Where it is desirable that the vacuum produced shall not exceed a certain maximum, the condensation obtainable ma be regulated by the simple expedient of a justing the depth or amount of water in the receptacle 12. The chamber or receptacle 12 is filled with water throughthe cold water pipe 35 and as the revolution of the aspir'ator creates a suction as above described, this suction .is manifested through the tube or pipe 21, drawing in air and condensation from the returns which are connected to the suction pipe 21 exteriorly of the device. The air escapes through the outlet opening 61 to' the atmosphere. When the receptacle 12 is filled with water it overtains a water level which is predetermined.

The water as it passes into the water chamber or accumulator in the tank finally passes through the filter and out of the discharge pipe 32. The receptacles 37, 43 serving to collect all sediment and mud. When the tank overflows the water will pass out of the opening 53 into the discharge .56. As thewater passes from the pans 31, it is broken up in fine streams by the serrated edges of the pans and the incoming steam which is admitted into the inlet 59 strikes the streams of water to heat them and the steam at the same time is condensed. Any

vapor or uncondensed steam and air finally be manifest that a device of this character.

is admirably I adapted to high pressure plants, necessitating but a smallspace and dispenses with considerable piping and valves. As about eighty per cent. of the steam used in some systems can be condensed and purified, it is manifest that the installation of a device of this character not only conserves the water but also conserves fuel. It will also be manifest that the aspirator by bringlng into the heater the vapor and condensation from a steain system will assist in heating the water within the heater,

The aspirator requires very little attention after having been once started in o eration and it can be run indefinitely without materially affecting its efiiciency.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An apparatus of the character described einbod ing a tank, a suction creating device in t e upper portion thereof and having communication with a fluid passage,

through the streams of water from the said trays.

2. As a unitary structure a feed water heater enibodying a tank, a mechanically operated suction creating device in the top of said tank and having communication with a fluid passage leading from the outside of said tank for creating a suction in the passage, said suction creating device operating to deliver the fluid fromthe passage into the heater, a filter in the bottom of the ing device and the filter for brealn'ng' up theliquid delivered fromthe suction creat- I ing device, and means for directing exhaust steam through the liquid in the heater as the liquid is thus broken up.

In testimony whereof I havesign'ed my name to this specification, January, A. D. 1918.

EDWAR F. MCCARTHY.

on this 9th day of 

